The Alpine caused a certain sensation in the pit lane: the A524 which is being set up for the first GP of the season has an engine bonnet which, compared to last week's tests also in Sakhir, has become a “gruyere” to ensure the Renault E-Tech power unit the necessary extraction of hot air from the cooling system.
The 6-cylinder turbo from Viry Chatillon is unquestionably the engine of the four manufacturers that is most… hungry for air. Last year, even on very fast tracks like Monza, the Enstone team was forced to open the bodywork to avoid fearing reliability problems, but the hope was that with the A524, a single-seater from a completely new project, the cooling problem would been resolved.
Alpine A524: In pre-season testing there were only six gills open at the root of the engine hood
Photo by: Uncredited
It had positively impressed in the tests that the Alpine had opened only six gills, managing to run regularly in Bahrain without apparent problems. The music has changed in view of the race weekend: the outbursts have become as many as twenty in addition to the grand opening at the tail end of the bazooka. It's true that the weather forecast says that the GP will be hotter than last week, but it's equally true that the car is already showing limits at the start of the season.
Alpine A524: the rear axle with large hot air vent openings
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
And it's not a good sign for Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon who hope to get back on top after the disappointing 2023 season. All the other teams have worked a lot on the cooling system, in an attempt to seek maximum aerodynamic efficiency: Alpine from this point of view left observers in the paddock perplexed…
#Incredible #Alpine #A524 #bonnet #Gruyère
